The Phantom of the Desert
by thefairmoon
Summary: I am Hinata's Angel of Music...and she belongs to me... GaaraxHinata PotO influence
1. The Phantom's Night

The Phantom of the Desert

(I don't own anything from Naruto or The Phantom of the Opera)

1. The Phantom's Night

Everyone in Konoha stared. But it wasn't like people didn't stare wherever the murderous red head and his sand went. But today was for a different reason.

Temari and Kankuro were even more worried about their youngest brother. They walked a couple of feet behind staring at the back of their brother's head.

"Even with Shukaku gone, he has finally reached a whole new level of insanity… and it's too weird to even think of as fun…" Kankuro thought.

"This is so strange for a kazekage… and especially for Gaara…" Temari thought.

Gaara has changed and nobody expected him to be kazekage. Still feared without shukaku, Gaara was still a disturbed wacko to many people. Maybe that is why he is acting so strange today. He's lost it, all of it and much more…

Gaara's black outfit was no different than usual. The black long sleeve shirt with black pants seemed to fit unusually well with his new addition of "accessories" that made everyone stare. Half of a white mask hid half of Gaara's emotionless face.

Yesterday before sunset, Gaara was restless as usual and refused to do any work as kazekage. He could wait to do that until Temari yelled at him. He stepped out of the Sunagakure for awhile and walked out into the desert. The sky was a beautiful blue color with its fluffy cotton clouds and bright yellow sun. But it only made Gaara angry for some reason. He couldn't enjoy a day like this that so many would love to enjoy. It just wasn't him.

"How annoying…"

He started to run. He ran deeper into the desert, into its harsh sands with the hot wind blowing onto his tan face. He wanted the day to go away. So he continued to run.

Nobody would understand why he ran nonstop for such a long time. The sky turned pink as the sun grew less bright. Gaara detested the color pink.

"MAKE IT ALL GO AWAY!" he screamed inside.

Shukaku didn't answer.

Never before did he feel such a strong emotion as he realized his situation.

He felt so alone.

This only stirred up anger within. He began to uncontrollably shake the sand beneath his running feet and a sand storm danced madly around him. The sand blocked out the sky and its garish light. He ran though the darkness not caring where he would go.

In the darkness within the sand, tears were helplessly released from the once emotionless eyes.

Anger diminished as sadness took over.

The angry storm softened till it was quiet once again in the desert.

His feet stopped moving. Nothing could be seen. The sand and wind didn't seem to exist to him. Gaara only existed.

Yet so did the night.

He looked up. The sky was dark just like his eyes. Tiny stars shined dimly back at Gaara. He suddenly had a twinkle in his own eyes.

Then he caught sight of something that made him loose his breathe in awe.

The moon.

"Since when did it seem so…… beautiful?" he whispered. For once, he sounded gentle.

Yes, it was amazing. But through Gaara's eyes, it was a gift to his cold dark world. It wasn't as bright as the sun and it didn't give warmth to his skin. But it somehow brought warmth that no one else could give. He never really enjoyed such a sight. It was always there… yet it was so far away. Now it didn't seem like he was alone.

"It's always there above me…"

He laid himself on his back and watched the sky that looked back at him. It comforted his anger and sadness. He spread his arms out and let out a sigh. He had never felt so pleased with something that was so normal.

Then he did the unthinkable.

He began to sing.

_Night-time sharpens,  
heightens each sensation . . .  
Darkness stirs and  
wakes imagination . . .  
Silently the senses  
abandon their defences . . ._

His left hand touched something. He had accidentally created something with his sand through his incident of anger and sadness. It was hard and smooth like glass.

"A… mask?"

He lifted it up to the sky and let the half face of the mask stare back. It had no emotion.

Something to deceive the world.

Something to hide all the emotions of the world.

It somehow pleased him.

So he put it on and walked back to Sunagakure.

Now everyone was staring. Many stared out of fear. But to many others (girls in particular), they stared in awe. Gaara looked attractively mysterious wearing his mask.

He had definitely changed since that night.


	2. The Phantom's Voice

The Phantom of the Desert

(I don't own anything from Naruto or The Phantom of the Opera)

2. The Phantom's Voice

The three sand nins would be staying in Konoha for some business that was to be discussed with the Hokage. It was just a regular "checks and balances" kind of thing between the two villages.

Once Gaara was done settling into his privileged kazekage room, he left in search of a private place to relax, leaving his siblings to worry about his whereabouts.

---

Hinata said goodbye to Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru. After a hard day's training, she wanted to find a peaceful place to just think. Not really think.

Dream.

She always consoled the sadness within with dreaming. Even though Kiba and Shino were dear friends to her, she knew them enough to know that they didn't have all the answers to the questions she keeps inside that confuse her nonstop. They were always willing to comfort her yet her sadness always returned.

"Why am I like this? Things are better now."

Hinata didn't show many people what a great ninja she was. But she really was a great ninja. Not the best but she was always working hard to improve. She enjoyed the honor of being a ninja.

But she enjoyed something else much more.

Singing.

Hinata loved to sing. She sang when she was alone. She listened to one in particular collection of songs.

"The Phantom of the Opera…" she whispered to herself.

A monster who was really a man behind a mask… a genius, a murderer, a phantom.

Hinata closed her eyes and listened to the phantom's voice inside her head.

When she opened her eyes, she was in front of her home. As much as she wanted to dream of the phantom, she had to get ready for bed so she went inside.

---

Gaara found a field where nobody seemed to come to. There was a tree that seemed to hold more branches than it could handle. It was dark beneath the tree so he would wait there until his night came once again.

Gaara began to call forth his sad. Along with the sand, a beautiful piano appeared which he settled near the tree.

A long time ago, Gaara received piano lessons from his uncle. His uncle showed him many famous pieces from Beethoven to Mozart. But Gaara found a deep love for a particular collection.

The Phantom of the Opera.

The song "The Music of the Night" had always touched Gaara as a young child. The Phantom was amazing, in his opinion. He even read the book. It pulled his heart into the story. Gaara sang to himself on a balcony and enjoyed every minute. It helped him express some of the emotions he kept from others. But after one bloody night, Gaara never thought of the phantom or the music. All he thought of was killing and loving himself.

Gaara hit one key on the piano. It brought back a strange sense of pleasure that was familiar from his childhood. But it also brought back the sad memory of his uncle.

He sat on his piano seat under the shade of the tree waiting for the signal to begin.

Night would come soon.

---

Hinata couldn't sleep. It was already midnight and she felt restless. Lying awake in bed didn't feel comfortable at the moment. She had an urge to walk outside. So she put on a white rob over her nightgown and put on some slippers.

She stepped into the courtyard and stopped out of shock.

"I can hear you, angel…" she said to herself.

She tried shaking her head. It seemed crazy but she could hear him. It was so faint yet she would know the beautiful music of the phantom from anywhere.

She had the urge to go to him.

Hinata quietly left the Hyuuga estate and followed the entrancing voice.

"Angel… please don't leave me…" she prayed in her heart as she ran towards a field.

---

Gaara sensed someone coming towards him.

Someone was coming to intrude into his world.

He stepped back into the shadows of the tree and put on a black cloak to hide his whole body better. The footsteps were coming closer but they weren't coming towards the tree. He put the cloak's hood over his head ready to get out of there at the right moment.

But he couldn't move. He saw a girl.

She was the most beautiful girl Gaara had ever seen. Her dark hair blowed gently around her soft innocent face. She wore all white and the wind blew against her silk robe fooling Gaara for a second thinking she had the wings of an angel. The young man recognized those pearl white eyes from the chuunin exams. Why didn't he see her before? She was an angel in his eyes.

Then he noticed that she was crying. The girl softly whimpered to herself and looked up at the moon. The white orbs of her eyes were a beautiful match to the white orb in the sky.

_In sleep he sang to me, In dreams he came,  
That voice which calls to me, And speaks my name.  
And do I dream again? For now I find.  
The Phantom of the Opera is there-Inside my mind._

"That voice…" Gaara's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what his ears were hearing. She was singing a song all too familiar to him. She had the voice of an angel. He didn't want her to stop singing. So much sad heavenly emotion poured out of her voice and tears.

"Angel…" the girl whispered to the moon.

Gaara wanted to answer that call. But he didn't know why. His heart pounded in his chest as he yearned to reach out to her. He wanted nothing to stop him from going to her and listening to her angelic voice.

But something did. It was the fact that he was Gaara.

He's anything far from an angel. He's a monster. She would be afraid and run away. Then he would never hear her sing again.

But there the girl stood waiting. Her eyes showed her desperate loneliness.

So Gaara touched the face of his mask and pulled his hood down to make sure his bare face was hidden.

Then a whirlwind of sand quietly brought him behind the girl.

How he desperately wanted to reach out and touch her.

"Not yet." He thought. He would do the next best thing.

_Sing once again with me, our strange duet,  
My power over you, grows stronger yet.  
And though you turn from me, to glance behind.  
The Phantom of the Opera is there -inside your mind._

---

Hinata was shocked once again when she heard him.

He was behind her.

"His voice… it's him…"

She was mesmerized by his voice. Hearing it up close was amazing. She couldn't move.

Gaara touched her shoulder and she shuddered. He thought she was afraid at first. But it was a shudder of pleasure.

He turned her around and her eyes widened.

The mask, the cloak, the voice…

"Angel…" she said softly and blushed. This pleased Gaara.

He couldn't stop himself. He placed her hand in his and let his fingers caress her face. She stared into his gleaming eyes that were under his hood. She closed her eyes as he touched her face. He was so tall compared to the young girl.

Gaara brought his face beside hers and whispered in her ear.

"You have a beautiful voice. What may I call you?"

"Hinata…" she said softly.

"Hinata, welcome to my world…"

His voice was like fine velvet to her ears.

With her hand still in his, Gaara led her to the piano seat and motioned for her to sit.

"Do I… scare you?"

"No, Angel."

He smiled.

"Every night, I'll be here waiting for you. In my nocturnal world, you are my student. Only at night will I appear before you."

He kissed her hand.

"I will let you see the secrets of this world."


	3. The Phantom's Presence

The Phantom of the Desert

(I don't own anything from Naruto or The Phantom of the Opera)

3. The Phantom's Presence

Hinata was different the next day. She walked in a dream like state.

Last night, she had met the angel of music. Of course Hinata knew that this person couldn't really be an angel. But her heart believed so.

That night he welcomed her into his dark world of the night. She felt so much emotion from his voice that she was eager to know more about her angel.

"My angel…" she whispered and blushed. Was her really hers?

"Hinata!"

She turned around and saw Shino and Kiba with Akamaru.

"Hinata we were calling your name a thousand times." Kiba said. Akamaru barked.

"Are you tired Hinata?" Shino asked.

It was late last night and she did stay up for a long time after meeting her angel. But she was more excited than tired.

"I'm f-fine, really." She smiled and blushed at her worried teammates.

"Well we've been called to the Hokage's office. We're just going to have all our records and profiles updated." Kiba stated. "Let's go!"

---

Gaara didn't get much sleep after saying goodbye to Hinata. He relived hearing her voice and seeing her face for the millionth time when sunrise came.

Then his emotionless face appeared shock.

What did he just do? This was too risky. She'll find out sooner or later. And why is he acting this way? He couldn't explain it. Now he's pretending to be her angel.

He sighed.

"At least Hinata is mine in my world…" he thought while imagining touching her face again.

He slapped himself for thinking that.

"Gaara, are you alright?"

Temari was standing in the doorway with Kankuro when they saw Gaara hurt himself.

"I'm just… tired." He casually said with an emotionless face.

"Ooookay. We're going to go ahead and see the Hokage. Get ready and eat breakfast. This is why you shouldn't stay out all night doing God knows what." Kankuro wanted to get the business for the day over with, even if he did nothing but just sit with Gaara.

"Hn."

After they left, Gaara reached for his mask that was placed on his bedside table.

"Wait… if I see Hinata out in daylight like this, she'll know that she was deceived by a monster…"

As much as he liked to wear his mask, he left it there and got ready for the meeting.

---

All the papers in the Hokage's office were literally scattered everywhere and pouring out into the hall. It would take the whole day for all the ninjas of the village to organize their records and profiles. They also had to update them.

In her round room, many ninjas were seated in front of the Hokage like students facing the teacher. They had to fix everything one by one.

Gaara had finally arrived at the Hokage's doorway. He leaned against the door frame looking at the strange scene.

"Gaara-sama! I apologize. The meeting will have to wait. I don't want to beg but can you please help organize some papers while you're here." The Hokage was already holding a stack of papers which kept dropping more and more sheets on the ground. Gai-sensei and Lee were trying to catch each paper before they touched the floor.

But Gaara wasn't listening. He was staring at a kunoichi across the room.

It was Hinata.

She was busy reading over some files… but she had a small soft smile on her face and she blushed for no apparent reason.

Gaara smiled as he stared at her.

"Gaara! Take some of these papers from Kankuro. He's too slow."

Temari interrupted Gaara's "star gazing".

He was given a stack of papers and he walked over to a seat that was far away from Hinata yet it still gave him a perfect view of her.

While quickly slipping papers into a folder or placing folders into a box, Gaara would look up once in awhile at his student.

She would stare out the window once in awhile until either Kiba or Shino interrupted her.

"Is she thinking about me?" Gaara asked himself in his mind. "No… she's thinking about her angel… not this monster sitting in the same room with her."

He looked up at her again. Tiny tears fell from her eyes onto random ninja profiles.

"Why is she crying?" he thought.

Hinata was thinking about her angel. She had just met him and now she felt like she needed him with her. She missed him. She felt so connected to him last night, even though they exchanged only a few words to each other before departing.

Gaara wanted to reach out to her more than ever. Somehow, he wanted to let her know that her angel of music was always with her.

Then he had an idea.

Gaara was an excellent ventriloquist, a talent even his siblings didn't know about. He would sing to her from across the room as if he was singing softly into her ear and only she would be able to hear it.

_Slowly, gently  
night unfurls its splendor . . .  
Grasp it, sense it -  
tremulous and tender . . .  
Turn your face away  
from the garish light of day,  
turn your thoughts away  
from cold, unfeeling light -  
and listen to  
the music of the night . . . _

Close your eyes  
and surrender to your  
darkest dreams!  
Purge your thoughts  
of the life  
you knew before!  
Close your eyes,  
let your spirit  
start to soar!  
And you'll live  
as you've never  
lived before . . .

Hinata stood up in all the commotion.

"Angel?"

She walked around the room as if looking for someone in particular. She was about to look towards Gaara when Kiba touched her shoulder.

"Hinata, I think you've been working yourself a little too hard lately..."

Everyone stared at Hinata as she sat back down.

But Gaara had a small smile on his face as he stared at his Hinata.

Hinata had one as well.

"Your angel is always with you…" he whispered softly.

"Did you say something Gaara?" Kankuro asked with a shocked look on his face. Gaara hardly said much and he just spoke something very quietly out of the blue.

"Hn." Gaara responded and went back to work.

Hinata knew her angel was with her.


	4. The Phantom's World

The Phantom of the Desert

(I don't own anything from Naruto or The Phantom of the Opera)

4. The Phantom's World

Gaara was once again hiding himself beneath the same tree from last night. He was pondering over whether he should continue this masquerade.

"If I don't show up… I mean if her angel doesn't show up, she'll be heart broken… Wait! Why do I care? Why am I even here waiting for some stupid girl?"

But Gaara really didn't believe she was stupid. She was perfect in his eyes.

Before he could continue fighting with himself, the girl appeared. Gaara stared once again.

She wasn't wearing her nightgown. She had put on a formal white sleeveless dress with black formal shoes before meeting him. Gaara realized how weak she made him.

But he really didn't care.

Hinata had been pondering about meeting him again when she came back home after all the paperwork was done. It felt like a date to her and she blushed at the thought of it.

But she also started to think about what happened in the Hokage's office. She heard him and nobody else did. So he really was there. Hinata also couldn't help but feel as if someone was watching her the whole time she was there.

Was it her Angel of Music?

Yes and No. It was her angel and Gaara. But she didn't know that.

Gaara made sure his mask was on properly and that his hood always covered his bare face. He sat on the piano seat and started to play.

Hinata saw him and she walked over to stand beside him. She knew the song very well and was prepared to sing for her angel.

_Think of me  
think of me fondly,  
when we've said goodbye.  
Remember me  
once in a while -  
please promise me  
you'll try._

_When you find  
that, once  
again, you long  
to take your heart back  
and be free -  
if you  
ever find  
a moment,  
spare a thought  
for me_

He stopped playing and praised her while giving her a few tips.

"She really is amazing…" Gaara thought. He continued to play and Hinata continued to sing.

_We never said  
our love  
was evergreen,  
or as unchanging  
as the sea -  
but if  
you can still  
remember  
stop and think  
of me . . . _

Think of all the things  
we've shared and seen -  
don't think about the things  
which might have been . . .

Think of me,  
think of me waking,  
silent and  
resigned.

Imagine me,  
trying too hard  
to put you  
from my mind.

Recall those days  
look back  
on all those times,  
think of the things  
we'll never do -  
there will  
never be  
a day, when  
I won't think  
of you . .

When Gaara stopped playing, he turned and looked at Hinata.

"Well done, Hinata."

She looked down and blushed. Gaara took her hand and led her to the middle of the field.

"Please sit with me."

They both sat there looking up at the night sky. Hinata looked at her angel out of the corner of her eye. Gaara caught this and smiled at her which made Hinata blush more.

"Hinata………."

"Yes?"

Gaara looked at her innocent face. But then he just sighed and laid on his back staring at the sky.

"I'm anything far from an angel."

Hinata looked confused at him.

"You're an angel to me."

She laid on her back beside him.

"I am usually alone. People are afraid of me. I always felt lonely until I met you. This feeling… is this what having friends feels like?"

Hinata saw a curious twinkle in his eyes when he looked up at the moon and stars.

"Yes, I think so…"

Hinata was curious about what kind of life her angel had, the life he had in the daylight. She was sure both of them often felt lonely during the day.

She knew her angel saw something in the night that no one else could see.

He wanted to share the beauty of the night with her.

Hinata had closed her eyes and tried to imagine the face behind the mask. Was it someone from Konoha? Another ninja? One of her friends?

Gaara was staring at Hinata as she dreamed of her angel's face. He quietly pushed his body closer to hers.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" he screamed inside himself.

But he couldn't stop.

When Hinata opened her eyes, her angel had wrapped his arms around her. He brought her closer to his chest and she heard his heart beat. She looked up and saw him putting down his hood and taking off his mask.

Her eyes widened.

"G-Gaara….." her voice was almost silent.

Then she blacked out.


	5. The Phantom's Love

The Phantom of the Desert

(I don't own anything from Naruto or The Phantom of the Opera)

5. The Phantom's Love

"Gaara……."

Hinata woke up in her room.

"Gaara is my angel?" she asked herself. She looked down. She noticed she wasn't wearing her dress.

Her whole face turned bright red.

"GAARA CHANGED ME INTO MY NIGHTGOWN?" she screamed in her head.

---

Ever since last night, Gaara had been calling himself an idiot and a pervert.

Yes, he did change Hinata into her nightgown.

Yes, he saw her in her underwear.

Gaara couldn't help but slap himself a million times.

After Hinata fainted, he brought her back to her room. He was about to leave when he knew he should take her shoes off for her.

So he did.

Then he thought he should tuck her in bed.

So he did.

Then he noticed she would be more comfortable if she wore her nightgown.

So he did after savoring peeling off her clothes and catching a glimpse of her beautiful bare skin and her frilly pink underwear.

He slapped himself again.

"You're more of a pervert than an idiot…" he said to himself.

Temari and Kankuro watched from behind as their little brother kept slapping himself in public… which is not very proper for a kazekage.

Then Gaara bumped into someone. He was about to give his famous death glare when he saw the kunoichi in front of him.

It was Hinata whose red face was still as red as a fire truck.

There were other ninjas around, mostly Hinata's friends. They thought this would get ugly.

But surprisingly to everyone, Gaara blushed back.

Temari and Kankuro were shocked to see their little brother show embarassment.

"I'm sorry for bumping into you, Hinata." He said in a respectful way instead of his usual cold voice. Then he bowed with courtesy.

Hinata could hear her angel in his voice. Her eyes stared deeply into Gaara's.

Everyone was amazed to see Gaara apologizing and he even knew the girl's name.

Then he just walked away. Temari and Kankuro stared at Hinata then tried to catch up with their brother.

Hinata was still blushing and she watched her angel walk away.

Kiba: "Man that guy sure is creepy… I never even knew he could apologize for anything."

Akamaru: "Bark!"

Hinata was still staring in the direction where her angel went. Tears started to drip down her cheeks.

Shino: "It's alright Hinata if you were scared…"

Shino somehow knew it wasn't fear that caused Hinata to cry.

"Angel…." Hinata called out for him in her mind.

---

"What's wrong with me……"

Gaara had ran away from his siblings and sat in the tree where his piano stood by.

"Hinata, why are you all I can think about?"

He looked at his hands and remembered how he enjoyed holding her. She was so small in his arms.

"Hinata…."

These feelings were so unfamiliar. They made a part of him happy. Yet, they also made a part of him sad.

He had shown Hinata his face so he wouldn't hide the monster.

"The monster is your angel, Hinata…."

The masquerade was over for Gaara. He'll never see Hinata in his world anymore. He'll never hear he sing for him.

Yet until it was midnight, Gaara still sat in the tree thinking about her.

"Even if you're not here, I'll sing for you."

_Softly, deftly,  
music shall surround you . . .  
Feel it, hear it,  
closing in around you . . .  
Open up your mind,  
let your fantasies unwind,  
in this darkness which  
you know you cannot fight -  
the darkness of  
the music of the night . . ._

Gaara sensed her. She had followed his voice to the tree. She was now standing next to the piano and looking up at Gaara.

He jumped out of the tree.

But Hinata suddenly started to back up. He continued to sing as he walked towards to her. His eyes did not look kind upon Hinata. She was scared by this.

Let your mind  
start a journey through a  
strange new world!

Gaara's sand took hold of her ankles. She couldn't back up anymore.

_Leave all thoughts  
of the world  
you knew before!  
_

He was standing only a foot away from here.

_Let your soul  
Take you where you  
long to be !  
_

He stopped singing and pushed Hinata. She fell onto some soft sand which didn't allow her to move. Gaara place himself on top of her and pinned her down. He put his mouth near her ear and softly sang.

_Only then  
can you belong  
to me . . ._

He sensed so much fear from Hinata. She trembled beneath his body and tears were about to flow down her cheeks. He kissed her forehead.

"Hinata……………. I love you…"


	6. The Phantom's Desert

The Phantom of the Desert

(I don't own anything from Naruto or The Phantom of the Opera)

6. The Phantom's Desert

He stared at Hinata who was speechless beneath him.

"I can feel it. You don't feel the same way about me. Once you realized your angel was a monster, all love for him disappeared. You also love someone else…"

He was right. Hinata did love someone else. She loved Naruto. But her love for her angel had temporarily covered that up.

Butshe didn't feel the same way about Gaara.

"You're not a m-monster, Gaara."

He put his face closer to hers. His lips almost touched hers. She could feel his warm… hungry breath.

"Hinata, I want you so badly. But I don't want to hurt you. I thought I could share my world with you…"

He got off of her.

"I'm sorry I fooled you, Hinata."

In a whirlwind of sand, Gaara disappeared.

Hinata was left alone, under the night sky. She felt ashamed of herself and the tears that built up in her eyes were finally let go.

"I hurt him…"

---

Yes, she did hurt him. Just by feeling love for her, Gaara was put in a lot of pain.

Gaara had changed once again. This love he felt had changed his outlook on everything.

Hinata, Hinata, Hinata, Hinata, Hinata, Hinata...

Her name kept repeating itself in his head.

"But she doesn't love me…"

It hurt just thinking that and anger stirred in his eyes. He never did like being refused something. He clenched his fist so hard that his palms started to bleed.

"Gaara-kun? You're bleeding."

It was Lee.

"Ah, yes. It's this guy. I beat him at those chuunin exams and rescued him from that sick bone guy." Gaara thought.

Lee: "You haven't been acting like yourself ever since you got here."

"He always says things with a big stupid grin…" Gaara thought.

Gaara: "Hn."

Lee had seated himself beside Gaara on a bench that faced the 4 great hokages of the past.

Gaara: "Does love really make people so great?"

Lee was surprised by his question.

Lee: "Uh, well, yeah. That's what I think. Gai-sensei would agree on that too."

Gaara: "These people did great things for the people they loved and they were loved back. They even died out of love for their people."

Lee: "It was the Hokages' inspiration."

Gaara: "How can you work so hard for something that hurts?"

Lee was silent for awhile.

Lee: "That's how you know it's all worth it."

Lee said that with his good guy pose.

And Gaara gave him a small smile back.

Gai-sensei, Neji, and Tenten walked over to them.

Gaara: "I guess it'll have to seep in a bit more before I fully understand… Thank you, Lee."

Gaara disappeared in a whirlwind of sand.

Neji: "What did he want, Lee?"

Lee: "Nothing. Just talking to a friend."

Gai-sensei smiled at his pupil.

---

Hinata woke up late for training. But she didn't care.

"I have to find Gaara."

---

The Hokage's office was full of ninjas again. This time they were reporting annoying things such as leaks in the pipes, bug infestations, and complaints on Naruto's big mouth.

All the genins, chuunins, and jounins were there making petty complaints.

Gaara and his siblings just watched. But Gaara had an amused smile on his face. In the back of his mind, he wondered where Hinata was.

Seeing the smile on their brother's face, Temari and Kankuro had to both agree: He has definitely changed.

BAM!

Hinata barged into the Hokage's office.

Kiba and Shino: "Hinata?"

She was still wearing her nightgown. (She had jumped straight out of bed and ran towards the Hokage's office.)

Hinata: "Gaara…"

Gaara backed away.

Gaara: "Uh…."

Tears started to fall from Hinata's eyes.

Everyone was giving Gaara strange looks.

Kiba: "WHAT DID HE DO TO YOU, HINATA?"

Akamaru: "GRRR…"

Shino also looked mad.

Gaara: "Please, Hinata… don't…"

He ran towards an open window but Hinata cut him off and wrapped her arms around his chest.

Hinata: "Gaara!"

She sobbed even harder.

Temari: "Gaara… what did you do to this girl?"

Kankuro was smirking in a corner.

Gaara: "I-I-I-I…"

Nobody had ever seen him panic.

Gaara looked towards Lee for a little help. But he just gave him the good guy pose with a wink.

Gaara: "DON'T GIVE ME **_THAT_** NOW! THAT'S NOT HELPING!"

Neji stepped forward.

Neji: "Hinata, let him go."

But Hinata ignored him and looked at Gaara.

Hinata: "I-I-I'm sorry, Gaara. I never meant to hurt you…"

Gaara wrapped his arms around her and talked gently to her.

Gaara: "Don't be. It's not your fault. It's mine. I was the one who fell in love with you-"

He turned to face the other ninjas in the room. All eyes stared at him with surprised expressions. Gaare couldn't be any more red.

Gaara: "Damn…"

He held onto Hinata tightly and a whirlwind of sand carried them out of the room together.

---

Hinata opened her eyes. The sun was setting over the desert's endless sand. She was lying on the cool sand next to Gaara who anxiously waited for the night sky.

Hinata: "Did I faint again?"

Gaara turned to look at her. He took in the beauty of her sweet face before nodding.

They both stared at the night sky silently for half an hour.

Hinata looked at Gaara's bare hand that gently laid on the white sand. Her fingers slowly inched closer to his hand.

Gaara saw this and took her hand in his.

Hinata blushed.

Gaara looked inventively at her.

"I wish you were mine…" he said silently to her.

She stared back in confusion. He just smiled at her.

"G-Gaara… I was w-wondering… you know… m-maybe… if y-you want to… we can b-b-be-"

"friends?"

Hinata nodded.

Gaara nodded back with a smile. But his eyes had a sad twinkle in them.

Gaara moved closer to her and sang the last part of the song. Hinata drifted into a world of dreams.

_Floating, falling,  
sweet intoxication!  
Touch me, trust me  
savor each sensation!  
Let the dream begin,  
let your darker side give in  
to the power of the music that I write -  
the power of the music of the night . . ._

Hinata slept comfortably beside Gaara who stroked a strand of hair off her face.

He still had so much to tell her… so he sang to her in her dreams.

_Say you'll share with  
me one  
love, one lifetime . . .  
Lead me, save me  
from my solitude . . .  
Say you want me  
with you,  
here beside you . . .  
Anywhere you go  
let me go too -  
_

He kissed her gently on the cheek.

_Hinata,  
that's all I ask of you. . ._


	7. The Phantom's Friend

The Phantom of the Desert

(I don't own anything from Naruto or The Phantom of the Opera)

7. The Phantom's Friend

"You did it again, you perverted idiot!" he yelled inside himself.

Yes, after taking Hinata back to her room, he changed her into her nightgown… again. Even though she was already wearing her nightgown, it had sand and dirt on it. So he put another one on her.

He knew he deserved a billion slaps for repeating the same action but he didn't really regret it at all.

Inside, he knew that Hinata belonged to him in a way that nobody else could have her. After all, he was her angel.

They were friends… but they both knew there would always be something more between them.

That made Gaara smile.

Before leaving his room, he put his mask on.

The sun was rising over the buildings of Konoha. Gaara was on his way to the public Hot Springs. When he arrived there, he found a spring that was far away from the others so he could be alone.

He leaned his head against a rock and let all the warm water soak his body.

Gaara did look evil most of the time. But there at the hot springs, he looked like a heavenly god. Wearing only a towel around his waist and his mask on his face, his bare body was very attractive. His red hair was moist and hung around his dark eyes. The night sky still twinkled in his eyes during that early morning.

He was so relaxed. The calm noise of the waterfall, the warm water on his skin, Hinata on his mind…

So he sang to himself in a powerful voice. It was incomparable to any other. So much emotion and strength… deep inside he was a true phantom…

_Down once more  
to the dungeon  
of my black despair!  
Down we plunge  
to the prison  
of my mind!  
Down that path  
into darkness  
deep as hell!  
Why, you ask,  
was I bound and chained  
in this cold and dismal place?  
Not for any  
mortal sin, but the  
wickedness of  
my abhorrent f-_

He had lifted his head had saw Naruto and some other male ninjas around his age staring at him.

Lee was clapping.

Gaara: "Thank you… I guess."

The boys joined Gaara in the same hot spring but kept a little distance… well except for Lee. He went over to Gaara with starry eyes.

Lee: "I never knew you could sing! You were incredible, Gaara-kun!"

Gaara had to smile at the compliment. But he was still uncomfortable knowing these people knew his feelings for Hinata.

And he knew they were all thinking about it. They didn't trust him.

Gaara: "If you have anything to say to me… say it."

He said the last two words with a death glare.

Neji just gave him a death glare back.

Neji: "I don't want you messing around with the Hyuuga heiress."

He kind of hissed at Gaara when he said "heiress."

Shino: "If you ever hurt Hinata…we'll take our chances and come after you."

Kiba was growling under his breath.

None of the other ninjas liked the idea of "helpless little Hinata" being around Gaara.

Lee: "Guys, Gaara is a good guy. He would nev-"

Gaara's insane anger was boiling inside him but he still had a calm grinning face on accenting his mask. But he had to say something.

Gaara: "None of you will ever see what I see in Hinata. She needs me…………. like I need her…"

Gaara's face wasn't grinning anymore. The sad lonely part of the phantom showed through.

Gaara: "You have nothing to worry about. She doesn't love me anyways."

He took a glimpse of Naruto who was carefully listening.

Gaara was tired of talking to them. He laid his head back on the rock. There was a long silence between the boys.

Then Gaara lifted his head all of a sudden.

The other ninjas were surprised to see a gentle smiling Gaara looking at them.

Gaara: "Good morning, Hinata."

Behind a bamboo wall adjacent the boys' hot spring, there was a hot spring for girls. Hinata had just entered.

Hinata: "G-Gaara-kun?" She blushed. "G-Good morning to you as well."

Hinata remembered that she was wearing a different nightgown when she woke up that morning. She followed the place of his voice and sat next to the bamboo wall to be closer to him.

It was the only thing separating Gaara from Hinata.

Gaara saw Hinata's hand under the water. He touched her hand. She didn't even know that she had slipped her hand under the bamboo wall.

Gaara: "Your friends are here as well…"

All the other ninjas said good morning to Hinata. She blushed and said good morning to them all.

Hinata: "I hope they're all being nice to you, Gaara-kun."

Gaara: "Don't worry. We're just getting to know one another."

Everyone noticed the way he spoke to her in a calm, assuring tone.

Gaara: "So, Hinata, what did you dream about last night?"

Hinata: "How d-did you know I was dreaming last night?"

Gaara: "You were twitching the whole time I was…"

"Wait I can't tell them I changed her clothes for her." Gaara thought quickly.

Gaara: "…bringing you home."

Hinata: "I had a dream about the P-Phantom."

Kiba: "What Phantom?"

Hinata told the others about the story of the Phantom of the Opera through the bamboo mat. When she was done telling the story, all eyes were on Gaara and his mask.

Shikamaru: "I guess it suits Gaara in a way…"

Neji: "Where did the two of you go yesterday anyways?"

Gaara: "Somewhere dark where we could be all alone…" he grinned.

Hinata: "Gaara-kun! Stop fooling them. We just went to the d-desert."

Naruto: "That's far!"

Hinata chuckled."Yes."

Gaara noticed something at that moment. Hinata didn't stutter when Naruto spoke to her.

Gaara: "Interesting…"

Lee: "What's interesting?"

Gaara: "Oh nothing. I just thought maybe I should come to the hot springs more often."

---

All the young ninjas left the hot spring together. Hinata walked beside Gaara who led the way. All the other young boys were interested in their business.

Gaara turned around to face them.

Gaara: "Don't you guys have some training or something?"

Kiba: "Hinata is our friend. We can't leave her alone with you."

Gaara: "Oh you mean like for the past four nights?"

He grinned with an evil smile and put his arms around Hinata.

SMACK!

Temari's fan had just hit Gaara's head.

Temari and Kankuro stood beside Gaara who held Hinata.

Temari: "You get your grimy hands off that poor innocent girl now!"

Gaara: "Temari, I-"

Kankuro was smirking once again.

Kankuro: "What did you mean by "past four nights", little bro?"

It was Gaara's turn to hit someone. He piled a ton of sand on his older brother.

Gaara: "Hinata is my friend. Nothing more, nothing less… right, Hinata?"

Hinata nodded and smiled.

Gaara: "I guess… since you're all Hinata's friends and you two are my siblings… I'll treat you guys to breakfast at a restaurant. But this is a once in a lifetime opportunity!"

Everyone was amazed, even Hinata. All their moods lifted in the positive direction and they all started to talk about where to eat.

Hinata was standing beside Gaara.

"I love you, Hinata. I always will." He whispered in her ear.

She looked at Gaara who smiled gently.

Hinata: "Gaara-"

Chouji: "Barbeque it is!"

Everyone started to walk to the restaurant.

Gaara still stared back at Hinata for awhile before tugging her hand to come along.

"Angel…"


	8. The Phantom's Spell

The Phantom of the Desert

(I don't own anything from Naruto or The Phantom of the Opera)

8. The Phantom's Spell

Everyone was happily eating Breakfast except for Gaara and Hinata. They were both separated to be given a stern talking to.

Kiba kept asking questions like if Gaara kept his hands to himself while he was with her alone or if he said anything "ungentleman-like". Shino was there to back him up. Neji also took his turn of talking to Hinata. He reminded her that she was the Hyuuga heiress. Naruto even wanted to make sure she was alright and that Gaara didn't do anything to her.

Gaara's siblings were more like hitting him than talking some sense into him. Temari reminded him that he was kazekage and this is a business stay in Konoha. She told him to act like a gentleman around Hinata and she even started talking about the "birds and the bees." Kankuro was laughing a lot.

Temari: "The others tell me that you can even sing. I never knew that, Gaara."

Kankuro: "I bet he sounds like a dying animal."

Nobody _ever_ makes fun Gaara's singing.

So he stood up and the table became silent. He walked over to the karaoke machine and selected a song. A song for Hinata.

**Artist: Jimmy Gnecco feat. Brian May  
Song: Someone To Die For Lyrics**

Before beginning, he ran his fingers through his hair and shot a smile at Hinata.

_Before you landed  
I had a will but didn't know what it could do  
You were abandoned  
And still you're handing out what you don't wanna lose  
You make me drop things  
Like all the plans I had for a life without you _

Someone to die for  
Someone to fall into when the world goes dark  
Someone to die for  
Someone to tear a hole in this endless night  
Someone like you

I'm drunk when sober  
The room is spinning  
You are what I hold on to  
You're taking over  
I find that giving in is the best I can do

Someone to die for  
Someone to fall into when the world goes dark  
Someone to die for  
Someone to tear a hole in this endless night  
Someone like you

Someone to die for  
Someone to die for  
Someone to die  
Someone  
Someone  
Someone  
Someone to die for  
Someone to fall into when the world goes dark  
Someone to die for  
Someone to tear a hole in this endless night  
Someone  
Someone like you

Gaara never sang his heart out for anyone other than himself. But he poured all his heart into his voice as he sang for Hinata.

Everyone from the streets nearby couldn't help but watch the sand nin on the little platform. He had great stage presence as he looked deep into Hinata's eyes. His voice sent chills down all the ninjas' spines. He showed Kankuro he sure could sing.

He was, after all, Hinata's angel.

---

Everyone left the restaurant slightly trembling. Hinata couldn't stop shaking. His voice resonated through her whole body tillit rested deep in her heart.

But when Gaara approached her, she couldn't even look at him. Her hands started to sweat and her face was bright red.

Everyone else had gone their separate ways.

It was just Gaara and Hinata.

In front of the Hokage's office building, Gaara stopped walking.

Gaara: "Hinata, are you okay?

Hinata still wouldn't look into his eyes.

Hinata: "I'm f-fine."

Gaara was kind of worried.

Gaara: "Okay, I'm going to see Tsunade-sama now. I'll see you later."

He kissed her forehead. But Hinata flinched. He was really worried now.

Hinata: "O-okay…"

Then she walked away.

---

She couldn't explain it. She was afraid of him. Why? She didn't know.

At that moment, she wanted to run away from his kiss. She was… nervous.

Even though she felt a little scared, she wanted him to hold her and breathe her all in. It was all so confusing. It was painful.

It was a windy day yet being with him made her so warm.

She loved to see him smile. But his eyes seemed to shoot fire under her skin. They had a devious stare.

Not everything of Gaara's old self could change. He would always have a hungry instinct.

His gaze was hypnotizing and that made her scared.

And a little excited. But why?

"I want you so badly…"

Gaara had said that. She blushed and felt warm all over, like when he was with her.

Hinata replayed the song Gaara had sung in the restaurant. He sang for her…

---

"Why did she flinch?"

It made him a little angry. Some fear shot through her eyes. He saw it. His temper wasn't happy about that.

But old feelings started to come back. Her fear excited him. He didn't want to hurt her in any way. But he had urges…

He could smell her warm blood under her skin. He loved it. It was so hard to resist touching her.

He had just left the Hokage's office. He wanted to find Hinata.

The excitement, hunger, anger, wanting… it all showed in his eyes. His hands trembled the more he thought of her. He touched his mask.

"She only loves the angel…"

An angel from Hell.

He had to admit: He was angry that she was able to change him so much. But it gave him pleasure knowing she was controlled by him, the phantom.

Love and hunger is a dangerous combination.

---

Hinata couldn't train anymore. Something was draining all her energy.

She let herself collapse on the ground. She was all alone.

It would be dark soon.

Hinata struggled to get on her feet and was finally able to awkwardly stand up.

Then she heard his voice from behind her.

_Masquerade ...  
Paper faces on parade ...  
Masquerade ...  
Hide your face so the world will never find you..._

Hinata couldn't turn around or say anything.

He put his arms around her waist and they disappeared within a whirlwind of sand.


	9. The Phantom's Goodbye

The Phantom of the Desert

(I don't own anything from Naruto or The Phantom of the Opera)

9. The Phantom's Goodbye

He brought her back to his world in the field under the night sky. He wouldn't let go of her.

Gaara touched her face and she shuddered.

Hinata: "Master…"

She never called him that before.

He turned her around and she looked into his eyes.

_Say you'll share with  
me one  
love, one lifetime . . .  
say the word  
and I will follow you . . ._

_Share each day with  
me, each  
night, each morning . . ._

_Say you love me . . ._

She sang so softly. But it resonated throughout his mind.

Gaara: "You know I do…"

He laid her in the grass and sat down beside her.

Tears started to stream out of Hinata's eyes. Her emotions were overwhelming her.

He leaned in closer and kissed them off her cheeks.

He looked into her wet eyes and saw stars shimmer in her white orbs.

Hinata: "I'm yours, Gaara… I love you."

Gaara leaned it to kiss her bust stopped when their lips were so close to touching.

Gaara: "Promise me, Hinata. Promise me that you'll never forget me…"

Hinata: "I promise…"

He kissed her. They loved each other and needed no one else. But it was a sad kiss. While tears streamed out of Hinata's eyes, tears fell from Gaara's eyes too.

Gaara wanted to touch every part of her. He wanted to make love to her. He wanted to make her his.

But he couldn't.

His fingers were laced in hers. He looked down at Hinata.

"She looks so beautiful lying there…" he thought. He would never forget that image of her.

Gaara: "H-Hinata……… I'm leaving Konoha at sunrise."

Hinata's body trembled. She tried to say something, but a whimper was all that came out.

Gaara touched her shivering face.

They both couldn't leave their villages for the other. They both had their own duties. Gaara was kazekage. Hinata was the Hyuuga heiress.

Gaara took off his mask. Under that mask was the man Hinata loved. His eyes were still wet from his tears.

He placed the mask in one of her hands.

For the whole night, Hinata stayed there with her angel. It would be the last time she ever entered his world.

The darkness of the night was more beautiful than ever for the angel and his pupil.

The hours seemed short. Gaara held onto her and wished for the sun to never appear.

But it did.

Gaara and Hinata stood there in the field just looking at each other.

Gaara: "Goodbye, my love."

Hinata: "Goodbye, my angel."

An embrace or a kiss was too painful. The pain was already shown in their eyes.

And so he disappeared in a whirlwind of sand.

Hinata wiped her tears away. She looked up and saw the moon hardly visible in the morning sky.


	10. The Phantom's Angel

The Phantom of the Desert

(I don't own anything from Naruto or The Phantom of the Opera)

10. The Phantom's Angel

Alone, again.

He was back at the very same spot where he created his mask… where he became friends with Hinata.

He closed his eyes. Staring at the night sky was a little painful.

"Hinata….."

He knew back in Konoha she was standing in the field in her nightgown dreaming of her angel while staring up at the sky.

And she was.

They both relived their moments together as they looked up at the darkness.

Gaara still couldn't believe what happened to him back in Konoha. If only he could go back…

"Someday… Hinata."

Back in Suna, Gaara went back to his "Hn" ways. But his siblings were close by his side in his time of sadness. He was thankful for that.

But he escaped from the village for awhile again.

Even though it was painful remembering the past, Hinata had promised to never forget him. He'll never forget her.

Never.

She was what he needed.

"She will always be mine… my angel…"

A source of strength spread throughout his body. He lifted himself up and smiled towards the sky.

"Hinata, I'll sing again just for you."

_Hinata, I love you ...  
_

_Say you'll share with me, one love, one lifetime ...  
say the word and I will follow you ...  
Share each day with me ...  
... each night ...  
... each morning ...  
You alone can make my song take flight -  
it's over now, the music of the night ..._

His voice echoed throughout the wind. It traveled to Konoha and reached a girl in a field.

"My angel… I love you."

They would never be alone.


End file.
